19

E.—s

'' The investigation has shown that that vocation in which all other vocations have their root —namely, the care of the home—has been overlooked in the modern system of education. In order that the industrial life of the community may be vigorous and progressive, the housekeepers need to be instructed in the laws of sanitation, in the purchase, preparation, and care of food, and in the care of children, that the home may be home, and not merely a house." The day-school, which might be termed a "preparatory trade school," commenced with 83 pupils, of which 38 took rip the science and technological course, and 45 the commercial. The former course was designed to provide a sound practical education for boys, which at the end of two years should fit them either (a) to enter practical life as apprentices in engineering, carpentry and joinery, cabinetmaking, &c, and to continue their studies at the evening classes of the Technical College, or (6) to take up a specialised technical course in the College Senior Day Classes. The commercial course, which was attended by 13 boys and 32 girls, was intended to provide a preliminary commercial training for boys and girls who had just completed their primary-school education, such as would fit them at the end of two j'ears to either (a) enter business, or (6) to take up an advanced commercial course at the College. During the year the majority of the pupils made good progress, and it is very gratifying to be able to record the fact that a large percentage of the parents, either by letter or personally, expressed their appreciation of the progress which their children had made during the year. Evening Classes. —As in previous years, a number of our students sat for the examinations of the London Board of Education and of the City and Guilds of London Institute. In spite of the fact that these examinations were held at a most inconvenient time (in the middle of the session), very satisfactory results were obtained. The success of the plumbing students was again conspicuous, four successes in honours being recorded. In the Carpentry and Joinery Examination a First-class Honours Certificate was obtained for the first time by an Auckland student. This is very gratifjdng in view of the fact that the scope of the examination is a very wide one, and embraces a knowledge of the timbers of the world. The continuation classes, which were held to enable students who had not previously obtained a Standard VI certificate of proficiency in a public school to improve their education and thus obtain this qualification, were attended by 70 pupils. At the end of the year 6 were awarded certificates of proficiency and 3 certificates of competency. As a whole, the work done in the evening classes was superior to that of any previous year. The attendance was more regular, the earnestness of the students greater, and the majority of those who entered the classes for the first time were better prepared to profit by the instruction given. As in previous years, the commercial classes were the most largely attended. This can readily be understood when the fact is taken into consideration that Auckland is a distributing centre for a quarter of a million of people. This must of necessity mean the employment of a large number of clerks. It is disappointing to find that comparatively few ladies take up cookery, seeing the importance of this subject to the community, and the difficulty that is experienced in obtaining domestic help. The number of Individual students enrolled last year was 911, as compared with 791 in the previous year. There is at last a fair prospect of an up-to-date College being shortly erected in Auckland. With the donations from the Auckland Savings-bank, the citizens, and the students, the Government subsidy thereon, and the Government grant of £4,000, a sum of practically £30,000 is now available. The plans have been approved by the Department, and before many months the ereotion of the building should be well begun. For the past four sessions technical classes have been carried on in Auckland in sheds and other temporary buildings quite unfitted for the purpose. These buildings have been scattered over different parts of the town, and the work of organization in connection with the large number of students (nearly a thousand) has been rendered much more difficult. With the completion of the new Technical College the quality of the work will, I am sure, still further improve, and the benefits which will accrue to the community will in consequence be greater. I trust, too, that the time is not far distant when technical schools and colleges in New Zealand will receive from the Arbitration Court the measure of recognition which is due to them, and that apprentices will be allowed by their employers to attend day technical classes. In conclusion, I wish to thank the Board and my colleagues for the help which has at all times been so generously accorded me. George George, F.1.C., F.C.S., Director. Statement of Receipts and Expenditure for the Year ending Slst December, 1906, in respect of Special Classes conducted, at the Auckland Technical College. Receipts. £ s. d. Expenditure. £ s. d. Capitation on special classes .. .. 1,501 911 Dr. balance at beginning of year.. .. 1,498 9 0 Rent .. .. .. .. 104 0 0 Salaries of instructors .. .. .. 1,848 9 2 Furniture, fittings, apparatus .. .. 615 6 Office expenses (including salaries, staSubsidies on voluntary contributions .. 83 9 0 tionery, &c.) .. .. .. .. 329 11 5 Material .. .. .. .. 88 7 0 Advertising and printing .. .. 11l 13 4 Fees .. .. .. .. .. 565 17 9 Lighting and heating .. .. .. 84 8 8 Voluntary contributions.. .. .. 612 0 Insurance and repairs .. .. .. 3 2 9 Sales of apparatus .. .. .. 20 0 0 Rent .. .. .. .. 11l 7 3 Rent of school-site .. .. .. 16 10 0 Material for class use .. .. 478 14 10 Donations towards new Technical College 10,472 0 0 Survey of site for college and legal expenses 11 10 0 Sales of material .. .. .. 84 13 0 Incidental expenses .. .. .. 84 10 10 Entranoe fees, students, &o. .. .. 718 0 Furniture, fittings, apparatus .. .. 387 10 7 Balance at end of year .. .. .. 8,008 4 4 £12,957 12 2 £12,957 12 2 Vincent Rice, Secretary to controlling authority.